Hurd Scores Big Wins for Texas in Funding Package

Yesterday, as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I joined my colleagues to support the bipartisan Appropriations package for FY 2020. These bills provide funding not just to keep the government running but to provide for many programs vital for our national security, our military and veterans, border security and more.

This funding package helps ensure the public health and safety of South and West Texans and provides for continued American military and economic dominance in today’s interconnected world. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I was proud to deliver on many important priorities for local communities I represent and will continue to work with my colleagues over the next year to fight for my constituents in Congress.

Hurd, who serves on the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies and the Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies subcommittees, was proud to help deliver in these funding bills many important initiatives for the 23rd District of Texas, including:

Providing critical funding for South and West Texas military communities:

  • $207.3 million for important military construction projects at Joint Base San Antonio, including a dormitory for Air Force basic military training and new training facilities for Air Force pilots and special forces.
  • $50 million for the Defense Community Infrastructure Program, which will provide grant funding to support infrastructure projects that benefit both military bases and the surrounding community.

Continuing efforts to secure our Southern border and address the border crisis:

  • $222 million for border security technology.
  • $12.7 billion for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations and support, which includes:
    • $13 million for Border Patrol Processing Coordinators to help improve the intake of migrants apprehended by Border Patrol.
    • $104.4 million to support over 800 new CBP positions in the Office of Field Operations.
  • $109.6 million in additional funding for the Executive Office for Immigration Review, which will fund additional immigration judges and administrative resources essential to addressing the asylum backlog at the border.
  • $579.8 million for the U.S. Strategy for Central America, which addresses the root causes of mass migration: violence, poverty and lack of economic opportunity in the Northern Triangle.  

Funding grant programs that have provided vital assistance to local South and West Texas communities:

  • $25 million for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure grants.
  • $17.7 million for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Protection: National Priorities rural water technical assistance grants.
  • $365 million for the Department of Education GEAR UP program.
  • $166.8 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the Grants to State Library Agencies program.
  • $38.5 million for museum services programs. 
  • $143 million for the Department of Education Hispanic-Serving Institutions program.
  • $37.8 million for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search and Rescue Teams.
  • $665 million for FEMA Urban Area Security Initiative, with language requiring FEMA to address mid-sized and large metropolitan areas located within 200 miles of the southern border experiencing high rates of illegal activity in its annual risk assessment.
  • $3.4 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grants.
  • $1.4 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME Investment Partnership Program.

Ensuring our veterans get the benefits and care they have earned:

  • Fully funds the VA MISSION Act, which has increased access to healthcare for veterans and improved the VA’s ability to recruit and train medical providers.
  • $1.5 billion for the electronic health record program, an initiative championed by Rep. Hurd for years that will create a single health record that follows a soldier during their military service and at the VA.
  • $60.3 million for Whole Health initiative.
  • $24.3 million for National Veterans Sports Program, including $1.5 million for Equine Therapy.

Fighting for farmers and ranchers in Southwest Texas rural communities:

  • $8.5 million increase for the Cattle Health program at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to address the cattle fever ticks
  • Requiring the Department of Transportation to exempt certain agricultural haulers from Electronic Logging Devices (ELD)
  • $19.6 million for the Circuit Rider Program within U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Program

Promoting domestic energy production while working to create a healthy climate for America’s future generations:

  • Not less than $7 million for Department of Energy carbon capture research for natural gas power systems.
  • $16 million for Department of Energy Supercritical Transformational Electric Power Initiative.
  • $46 million for Department of Energy Unconventional Fossil Energy Technologies.
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